TWINS: Twins at the Door, Monday
by retirw
Summary: story 4 in the Twins at the Door series. The team is still being sequestered. Jim and Blair go to work. Now what can two little boys do to a daycare facility?
1. Chapter 1

This is story 4 in the Twins at the Door. Still a minimum of the Mag 7, but hang on for the ride, I'll get you there.

I would like to thank my muses, KT the opinionated and Pookwana. Thanks go to a wonderful lady by the name of TAE for doing the beta work on this monster.

Author's Note//If it's between backslashes, it is telepathy or a close cousin.// _If it is in italics it's thoughts._

* * *

Monday

"Come on guys, you'll have fun," Blair coaxed as he made sure the boys were ready for the day. "Ohhh, baby glares!" Blair chortled at the belligerent little faces.

"Don' wanta go ta no daycare!" Beau announced stubbornly.

"Blair and I have to go to work. So you two are going to daycare," Jim responded firmly.

"THIT!" Beau growled as he stomped to the door.

"Beau, no more cussing," Jim thundered.

"Look guys, Jim and I'll come and get you for lunch. Just try to have a good time," Blair calmed. The twins crawled into their seats in the back of Blair's car. Jim sighed and slid into the passenger seat and they were off.

8:15 am

Jim smiled to himself as he replayed Beau's polite but insistent argument on why he and Dev didn't require daycare. Beau had presented his facts calmly and rationally in the car, all the way to the Cascade Law Enforcement Building, where the Central Precinct was located, in the basement parking garage, in the elevator, up to the first floor where the daycare was located, then into the daycare itself.

_He gave Sandberg a run for his money. Kid had some telling points too. Never thought I'd see the day that Blair would fall back on the 'because I'm the boss defense.' _

Jim sighed as he started work on yet another registration form. _How long does it take to put two little kids into daycare? _Looking up from the table in the greeting area of the day care, He became anxious as Blair and the boys were led off to the secure area.

"Detective Ellison, the boys will be fine," Lillian Murphy, the daycare director smiled. "Why don't I show you around," she offered. "When the boys are picked up you'll have to sign them out. You've indicated that we can release them to Blair Sandburg or Simon Banks, correct?" the grandmotherly woman asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Jim studied the facilities for security and safety, well pleased with what he saw.

"The children will be fine," she patted his arm comfortingly. "Now, I've flagged their files for allergies. Is there anything else besides the peanuts and milk products?" she asked.

"Not that I know of," Jim responded.

"You do know not to give them peas don't you?" Murphy asked.

"Peas?" Jim looked down at the grey-haired lady.

"They're related to peanuts. Some children will react to them as well," Lillian explained.

"There's nothing about it in their medical stuff," Jim frowned. _I need to ask them about peas_.

"Maybe they don't react to them," Murphy smiled. "I'm putting them with Stacie. She has a deaf brother, so Devin won't have any problems being understood. Considering the upheavals the boys are dealing with right now, I don't think they should be separated," the daycare director said thoughtfully.

"How long will you need daycare for them?" Murphy asked.

"I have no idea. Their father is an old friend. He's with the ATF and he's been sequestered during a trial. I'm keeping the twins until he's through testifying," Jim explained.

"We try to keep a couple of slots open for emergency situations. You officers have enough to deal with, without trying to find last minute child care. You do know that this is a twenty-four hour facility in case a situation develops?"

"No, I didn't, but that's a load off my mind. I have a case that could break open any time," Jim relaxed slightly.

"You said their mother died last year?" Murphy asked in concern. Seeing Jim frown at the nosey question, she hurried to explain. "Children handle stress differently. The fear of abandonment is very real. I want the boys to be happy, here," she smiled gently.

"Shannon was killed in an accident last year," Jim answered "Dev hasn't talked since."

"Traumatic response?" Murphy asked cautiously.

"Yes. They're seeing a psychologist, regularly. This mess was sprung on Vin Friday afternoon. It's the first time the boys have been away from their people since Vin brought them home. I'm a little concerned with their emotional balance," Jim admitted.

"They seem very comfortable with you. We'll get you all through this," Lillian smiled gently.

_Bet she's great with the kids, real peaceful. _

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The daycare was situated on the first floor of the Cascade Law Enforcement Building. Bright colors filled the room and excited children ran around the play area.

Blair took the boys coats and showed them their crates. Silently the boys looked around the facility. Dev stood protectively in front of Beau. Beau was whispering softly to Dev as he rubbed his brother's tense shoulder.

"You all right Dev?" Blair's voice dropped to a soft whisper. Dev touched his ears and signed loud.

"Dial it back," Beau directed. Dev sighed and nodded.

"Do you have your cell phones?" Blair asked worriedly.

"Yeath," Beau answered.

Jim and Mrs. Murphy reappeared. Blair relaxed as Jim nodded. Jim twitched, as the boys nailed him with one last betrayed glare.

"Beau, watch your language," Blair reminded.

"You'll 'member ta come and get uth won'ttha?" Beau asked with tear filled eyes and a quivering chin.

"Of course we will," Blair sank to his knees and hugged the boys.

"That'th what Unca Buck thaid, but he forgotted," Beau's voice broke.

"I won't forget you," Jim promised, disturbed at the desperation in the usually independent child's words.

"My, you two are good," Murphy teased the twins. "I've seen great cons, but you two are superb," she clapped her hands.

Jim and Blair started to jump all over the uncaring woman, when the boys' delighted giggles erupted.

"We swallowed it hook, line, and sinker," Jim told Blair. Blair agreed sheepishly.

"Detectives, Dev, Beau, this is Rosemary Allen, she's the provider for the twins' group, along with Stacy Martin." Lilly Murphy waved towards a young woman. Blair smiled at the attractive blond who waved from the corner were she was playing with some children.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Rosemary crooned in a syrupy voice. "We'll play games, learn our colors and numbers, all kinds of things," she piped at the boys, ignoring the disgusted look they exchanged.

"Lady we kin count, add, thubtract, figure oddth and perthentageth. Don' look like ya got any Louis Lamour er Zane Grey on yer thelveth over yonder. Ath for tintth and thadeth of pigment. Might I thuggetht my dear woman, that you thould never wear that thade of ecru, ever. It giveth your complexion a greenith catht," Beau rattled on.

Rosemary flushed a brilliant plum that clashed with her dyed red hair.

Jim, Blair, and Murphy escaped into the hall where the laughter could be safely released.

"Oh, it's been years since I've had one like that," Lillian giggled. "Please don't be embarrassed, that kind keeps you young. Heaven help us, Rosemary could use a little kick in the pants," Murphy's eyes twinkled. "Odds and percentages?" she asked in mirth.

"One of their 'Uncles' is a gambler," Jim sighed.

"Oh, this is going to be interesting," Murphy peeked back into the room. "What are they doing?" she asked in sudden concern. Jim and Blair watched Dev prowl the room while Beau followed along.

"Dev's checking it out. He'll settle down in a minute," Blair explained.

"The serious one?" Murphy asked. Jim nodded.

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Jim and Blair walked into the bullpen.

"A little late aren't you?" Simon growled.

"We didn't know how long it would take, to get the boys into daycare," Jim sighed as he sat down at his desk.

"Did they give you the 'you're abandoning us' guilties?" Joel asked with a laugh.

"What?" Jim looked up.

"Jim, I raised three. Kids will play you like a violin ask, Simon," Joel chuckled.

9:03 am

Jim was once more going over his notes on the Abbott case. A niggling feeling that he was missing something important had him frustrated. BRRRING "Major Crimes, Ellison" Jim answered.

"Detective Ellison, this is Lillian Murphy in daycare," the woman was striving to suppress the giggles.

"Yes, Ma'am?" Jim rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache start.

"Could you come and talk with Beau and Devin please?" she giggled.

"I'll be right there," Jim sighed. Ellison hung up the phone and headed for the door.

"Jim?" Blair called.

"Twins," Jim answered as he headed for the elevator.

"43 minutes," H noted. Wicked grins were exchanged and the betting pool was on.

7777777

Jim arrived to find Lillian waiting at the door. "We've never had this problem before," she sniggered and pointed.

A distraught Rosemary was trying to reason with Beau. Jim suppressed his chuckle as he noted the game in progress.

"Det. Ellison, when I suggested Devin and Beau play cards, I meant GO FISH or OLD MAID," Rosemary Allen huffed.

"What'th wrong wit' poker?" Beau demanded. "Hell, we wath playing at Cap'n Jim'th wit' all the detectiveth Friday night," Beau continued as he dealt cards to the other kids.

"Beau don't cuss," Jim said softly as Rosemary glared coldly at him.

"What would their father say?" Rosemary demanded.

"Didja win?" Beau answered calmly as he bid a grape.

"I didn't teach them, they came that way," Jim sputtered in his defense.

The game ended when Jim confiscated the cards and ordered no more gambling. "Be good, all right?" Jim sighed.

"Don' like her," Beau declared.

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Major Crimes exploded with laughter when Jim returned and explained the situation.

"Oh, Rosemary's such a stick in the mud," Rhonda, Simon Bank's secretary snorted as she carried some files through.

The detectives got back to work with an occasional chuckle.

10:10 am

Brrrring! "Major Crimes, Brown," H answered. "Just a moment," H answered. "Jim it's daycare," H called over. Jim had been back 38 minutes at this point. H made a note on his blotter.

"Ellison," Jim sighed, "On my way. Come on Chief, I'm going to need back-up on this one. The natives are restless."

Jim grabbed Blair and took off for the stairs. Bets were paid off and new ones made among the remaining detectives.

7777777

Jim sighed and shook his head as he pulled out his pocket knife. Blair pulled out his Swiss army knife and headed for Stacie. Blair shared laughter at the predicament as he cut the blond loose. He soon had a study-date for Friday night with the part-time college student. Ellison made short work of freeing Mrs. Murphy and moved on to cut Rosemary Allen loose. Rosemary whimpered and rushed out to the staff room.

"How'd you manage to call?" Blair asked in awe.

"I put Major Crimes on speed dial after the poker game," Lillian Murphy's eyes glowed.

"How'd this happen boys?" Jim demanded, rubbing the pounding spot between his eyes.

"Mth. Rothemary wath teachin' uth ta tie thoeth," Beau smiled sweetly as Dev nodded his support. "Tho we thowed her how ta hog tie. Mth Thacie wanted ta know how we done it. Then Mth Lilly athked uth how we done it. Then ya'll came." Beau beamed.

"Beau, why didn't you turn everyone loose instead of making Ms. Lilly call upstairs?" Blair scowled at the unrepentant children.

"Cauth Mth. Lilly thaid not too. Thhe wanted yah ta thee for yourthelveth. I did puthh the number on the phone for her," Beau grinned.

"No more rope, no more knots." Jim ordered.

"Yeth, Thir." Beau and Dev nodded.

7777777

Jim and Blair returned silently and tried to slip in without attracting attention.

"Well?" Simon asked.

Jim looked up, realizing he was the center of attention. Major Crimes had been joined by some of homicide and burglary.

"The staff were teaching the kids 'shoe tying 101.'" Jim studied his desk intently as he spoke.

"Unfortunately, the twins are working on their Master's in knots and their uses." Blair broke down struggling for breath, as the laughter took over.

"They hog tied the daycare staff," Jim growled.

"How'd they manage to do that? Rosemary Allen must go 250 pounds," Rafe blurted.

"I just want to know where they got the rope?" Jim admitted.

"Joel, is this normal?" Blair asked.

"Well, there are two of them," Joel hesitated.

11:01 am

BRRRRRRRING!! All eyes turned to Ellison. "Major Crimes, Ellison," Jim flinched as strident tones demanded his presence.

"Yes, Ma'am," Jim whispered. Jim looked up at the suddenly industrious detectives.

"Come on Blair, it's story time," Jim grinned evilly. "The boys are staging a protest. They want Teddy Blair to tell the story," Jim snickered, as Blair blushed under the amused gazes.

"Thanks a lot, guys," Blair growled under his breath as the snickers erupted.

"23 minutes mates," Megan held out her hand for the pay off. New bets were placed.

7777777

Blair returned scuffed and rumpled. Followed by a laughing Jim.

"Rosemary is comparing them to the bubonic plague. They've infected the other children." Jim grinned proudly.

"She wants to see the twins' daddy, when he gets out of court," Blair choked. "It seems Barney is a little slow for our boys. They wanted Edgar Allen Poe," Blair explained.

"Oh, my," Megan chuckled.

"Poe?" H asked.

Jim shrugged.

11:58 am

The detectives of Major Crimes were once again absorbed in their work. The clicking of the keyboard could be heard as Blair worked to track down information on the Internet. Jim was reaching for the phone to call a snitch when - BRRRRRRRRRRRRING!!

"Major Cr . . ." Jim answered the phone glaring at his laughing friends. His expression changed immediately. "How bad?" "I'm on my way," Jim dropped the phone on to the receiver. "Blair do you have those hospital forms?" Jim demanded as he ran for the door.

"Oh Shit! They're right here," Blair grabbed his backpack as he raced out after the sentinel.

Worried looks were exchanged as the detectives waited impatiently for news.

12:31 pm

Brrrrring! "Major Crimes, O'Connor." Megan snatched up the phone. "Jim, who's hurt and how bad?" Meagan demanded. "Beau, 5 stitches just above the eyebrow." Megan spoke aloud for the waiting detectives. Relaxed smiles and sighs of relief greeted the news. "You're taking the boys to lunch. Sure Mate." Megan hung up.

H appeared after a trip to the break room. "It seems the terrible twosome were chair stacking," H shook his head.

"Chair stacking?" Rafe asked.

"Yeah, seems like they saw this program on TV. It had these Chinese Acrobats that balanced chairs and climbed up on them," H explained.

"Took my kids to see that once," Joel nodded.

"Well, Beau was five chairs up when Rosemary discovered him. She yelled and he lost his balance," H finished.

1:31 pm

Jim and Blair had arrived back from lunch looking rather frazzled.

Blair was now busy on what appeared to be a breakthrough on the Abbott case. Jim, however, was preparing to leave for the prosecutor's office, to go over his testimony for an upcoming case. It was with slight trepidation that he pulled the door closed as he exited the room.

2:52 pm

Brrrrrring, Brinnnnnng! The detectives glared at the phones as if they were poisonous.

"Simon" Blair pointed.

"Why me?" he demanded.

"Well, you are the Captain," H pointed out.

"Major Cri . . . WHAT! WHEN!" Simon demanded. Simon slammed down the phone. "The boys are missing!" Simon announced into the silent room. "

Crikey, Ellison!" Megan moaned.

"We'll find them before he gets back. We are detectives, people; go detect" Simon yelled.


	2. Chapter 2

7777777

The office seemed to come to life, as Megan and Joel headed for the building security office to check tapes. H, Rafe, and Blair took off for the daycare center. Simon sank down into his chair, trying to decide which would be scarier, facing Jim Ellison or the Magnificent Seven.

"This doesn't make sense, they just couldn't have disappeared," Rafe stared at the brightly colored room and the obviously distraught daycare staff.

"Their stuff is gone," Blair said as he stalked over to the plastic crates. Blair asked the children if they knew what happened to the twins.

"Ms. Rosemary, said they had to go in time out," a bright eyed little girl pointed to a separate room. Blair stalked over to the door and looked over the empty room. Walking over to a second door, he tried the knob only to find that it was locked.

"Who was watching the boys while they were in time out?" H asked.

"I thought they were with Rosemary," Stacie was close to tears.

"I just left for a minute," Rosemary admitted.

"A child is **never** supposed to be left on their own," Mrs. Murphy glared at the teacher. "We will discuss this later."

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"Megan called, they didn't go out the front and they haven't showed up on any of the security cameras. We have someone on all the doors," Rafe spoke to the distracted Sandburg.

Blair flopped down on the floor and glared at the door into the play area. H glanced at Rafe, who only shrugged as Blair huffed and glared at the ceiling.

"Blair, what are you doing?" Rafe asked.

"Trying to think like the twins," Blair explained. Jumping up, Blair walked over to the second door and examined the knob carefully. "Damn they're good," he snickered.

"What?" H demanded.

"The lock's been picked," Blair chuckled.

"Come on, Hairboy, they're just little kids," H growled.

"Who've had some very unusual teachers," Blair reminded him.

"Hey, does one of you have a key for this door?" Rafe asked the daycare staff.

Opening the door revealed a storage closet with wooden shelves and no exits.

"They aren't here," H pointed out.

Rafe soundlessly pointed to small footprints on one of the shelves.

"Vent." Blair climbed up and lifted the cover off. "Tell Simon, they're in the duct work." Blair gulped.

"So, we just wait for them to get tired and come out." Rafe sighed.

"These things have sudden drop offs, fans, and who knows what else," Blair paled.

"I'll get blue prints," H groaned.

"I'll call maintenance and find out what we're dealing with. Blair, these are smart kids, they'll be OK," Rafe comforted.

"I need a flashlight," Blair demanded.

"Hairboy, what are you up to?" H demanded.

"I'm going after them," Blair explained.

H and Rafe were still arguing when Lillian Murphy handed Blair two flashlights.

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"Hey, guys, come on and lets talk this out," Blair called as crawled down the duct work. Blair called and crawled, for what seemed like hours. "All right guys this isn't funny. Come back right, now," Blair ordered. Hearing a banging off to his left, Blair sped up only to fall into a down shaft to the basement level, getting wedged in a bend. "Oh man this is so not good," Blair exclaimed. He was wedged with his hands over his head so he couldn't reach his cell phone. "Hey, guys, you want to help me out, here?" Blair called in desperation. "Ah, man, Jim's gonna kill me," he sighed. Getting as comfortable as possible, he waited for rescue.

Simon had given up waiting for news and was impatiently pacing the hallways and offices. He was stalking through the bullpen, once more.

When Rhonda hissed, "Jim's on line 2." She made a sympathetic face.

"Wonderful," Simon growled.

"Hey Simon, could you dig my notes on McAleese out of the file and fax them over? Nobody in the bull pen is answering their phone," Jim growled.

"Yeah sure, Jim," Simon breathed a sigh of relief.

"Simon, what's wrong with Blair?" Jim asked softly.

"Blair's fine, Jim," Simon assured the sentinel.

"Simon, tell me what's wrong right now," Ellison demanded.

"The twins are missing," Simon admitted. "They escaped from daycare."

Simon flinched, as silence came from the other end of the line.

Rhonda cringed, as she waited for the explosion.

"Did you call them?" Jim asked in a strained tone.

"Of course, we've been calling down every duct in the building." Simon yelled.

"No, Simon did you call them on the phone?" Jim asked.

"Phone?" Simon asked softly.

"The boys both have cell phones. Vin wanted them to be able to contact him, if they needed to." Jim explained. "Stay on line Simon. Let me call," Jim soothed. Jim took a deep breath and dialed a number, on his cell phone.

"Dumont," Beau answered.

"Beau, where are you?" Jim demanded.

Simon stared speechlessly at his office door.

"We'th in Unca Thimon'th office. We couldn't find ya er Unca Blair, tho we figured Unca Thimon, would know where ya wath," Beau explained cheerfully.

"Would you go tell Uncle Simon where you are? He's worried about you," Jim ordered.

"Thure." Beau went to the door, followed by Dev. "Hey, Unca Thimon, where ith everybody?" Beau asked.

_I need to talk to Simon, he shouldn't use that kind of language in front of Rhonda and the boys_. Ellison grinned to himself, unabashedly turning up his hearing so he could listen over his phone.

Simon took the cell phone out of Beau's hand.

"Thank you Jim. Now I'm going to kill them," Simon growled and hung up the phone.

"Rhonda, would you please call everyone, and tell them that the twins have been found?" Simon ordered.

"We wathn't lotht," Beau denied.

Simon wordlessly tucked a boy under each arm, and kicked his office door closed behind him.

"Yer right, Dev. He'th got that vein in hith forehead that throbth jutht like Unca Chrith," Beau said calmly to his brother.

"Boys." Simon sat the children down firmly in front of his desk. "We are going to have a conversation about responsibility," Simon began calmly.

At the end of the lecture, Simon was holding two tearful little boys on his lap, as they promised not to wander off and scare the big folks any more.

"Captain," Megan knocked softly on the door and stuck her head in. "We can't find Sandy, Sir," she informed Banks.

"Oh, hell, now what?" Simon moaned softly.

"Dev, kin ya find Unca Bear?" Beau asked.

Simon's breath caught, as he recognized the familiar tilt to the curly head. The blue eyes were unfocused. _Just like Jim_. The truth slammed home to Simon. Beau was speaking very softly and rubbing Dev's shoulder. _They're just babies_. Simon cradled the tiny sentinel and his guide protectively. _God please watch over them. _Simon prayed, his heart aching for the pain his friends had suffered through, and these children would face.

Dev's eyes cleared and he signed rapidly.

"Uh Oh, Unca Bear'th thuck in a duct in tha bathement. He wan'th Unca Jim, ta come get him," Beau told Simon.

"Is he hurt?" Simon asked faintly.

Dev signed some more.

"Thome thcrapeth and bruitheth, no blood though," Beau translated. "Unca Thimon, we didn't want nobody ta get hurt." Beau said in a dismayed little voice.

"We will be discussing this latter boys. Right now we better go get Blair," Simon said.

"Kay," Beau took Simon's hand trustingly, as he climbed down off his lap.

_I need to have to talk with Blair. We need to protect these kids, someway. _Simon looked down into the innocent faces. _Glad you're Larabee's problem. One Sentinel and guide is enough. _

Dev tugged on Simon's hand, getting him up and moving.

"Come on Watcher," Beau ordered.

"Watcher?" Simon frowned.

"Yer Unca Jim'th Watcher didn't ya know that?" Beau looked startled.

_What the hell is a Watcher? _Simon wondered, as he followed the pair out.

4:32 pm

Jim arrived back at headquarters, in time to watch the heating and air conditioning people disassemble a section of duct work.

"Blair?" Jim asked as he walked up to Simon and a group of assorted officers standing around the parking garage, watching the crew work.

"Yeah," Simon chomped down on his unlit cigar.

"Oh, man! Jim is that you, big guy?" Blair called calmly.

"What are you doing in there?" Jim asked with a smirk.

"Dev and Beau took off through the ducts, and I was afraid they'd get hurt, so I came in after them and I thought I heard them and was moving too fast and I slid down the duct and, well, I got stuck," Blair finally wound down.

"We wath only in tha duct long enough ta get ta tha thecurity room. Maybe twenty feet er tho," Beau responded calmly.

"How'd you get in there and why did you want to get in there in the first place?" Simon asked.

"We tooked the grate off with our kniveth. Dev let me down on ta a dethk at the other end. I got a garbage can fer Dev ta thtand on." Beau told of the Great Escape, ignoring the pleased smirk Simon was giving the building security supervisor, the one who had ignored Simon's complaints about lax security.

"Why'd you want in there?" the weasely little man demanded.

"Tho'th we could find out where Unca Jim wath. We figured we could find him on the monitorth. Ya really need ta work on yer thurvallienthe camerath. They'th a 90 thecond period, when tha thairwell ithn't obtherved. That'th plenty a time ta get underneath tha camerath, 'fore they thee ya. Ya really need ta put weight triggered thenthorth in tha duct work, it'th too eathy ta get around tha building in them. Yer computer thytem'th awful out a date," Beau lectured.

Jim caught Simon's cigar and handed it back, when Simon's mouth fell open at the rundown.

The Police Commissioner had walked over in time to catch Beau's recommendations. "So you're the two dangerous criminals, who escaped a highly secure lockdown?" Craig Matthews chuckled.

"Mithter if tha' wath high thecurity, you've got problemth," Beau grinned as he shook hands.

"What started all this, son?" Matthews lifted Beau up and sat him on the hood of a cruiser.

"Mth. Rothemary and I had a divergenthe in interethtth. For thome unfathnabile reathon, the dear lady took extheption ta my actionth. Thhe thoothe ta incartherate mah thibling and mahthelf. Devin and I conferred on tha entire thituation and determined it would be in our betht interetht to bring the thaid incartheration to Cap'n Jim'th attention." Beau explained.

Soft chuckles escaped the surrounding adults. "Are you sure they're not Sandberg's?" someone whispered.

"That doesn't explain how you know about the security system?" the Commissioner prodded.

"Ah that'th eathy. Unca Buck and Unca JD taughted uth" Beau smiled angelically.

"That would be ATF agents Buck Wilmington and JD Dunne, Sir" Jim explained.

"So that got you young men past the security system. Can you tell me how you got past close to a hundred assorted police personnel?" Matthews hid his grin from the mischievous youngsters.

"Tad'th teachin' uth ta not be theen. If yah act like yah belong thome plathe people don't 'thee' you," Beau answered casually.

"Their father, Vin Tanner, another ATF agent. He works with Dunne and Wilmington out of Denver," Jim shuffled his feet as the Commissioner turned to look at him.

"Tanner? That's familiar. Chris Larabee's team? Tanner's the sharpshooter?" Matthews looked over at Jim, who nodded. "Dunne and Wilmington?" Matthews looked at Jim.

"The team's surveillance specialists," Jim looked up as Blair hurriedly limped over.

"So, young man, why are you here?" Matthews asked in amusement, as some of his most effective people looked . . . uncomfortable.

"Thome da...ng defenthe attorney put Tad and our Uncath in tha hoothcow. Tho Tad athked Capt'n Jim ta keep uth 'till he gotted thprung," Beau fussed.

The commissioner looked over for an explanation. "Defense Attorney Milton has sequestered all of ATF team 7. They aren't allowed any contact with the outside or each other. Normally they take turns with the boys. Tanner called me, since we're close to Seattle," Jim explained.

"My name is Craig Matthews, I'm the Police Commissioner here in Cascade," Craig introduced himself.

"Mah brother, Devin Blue Dumont, I'th Beau Jameth Dumont" Beau introduced themselves. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintanthe."

"How old are you boys?" Matthews asked curiously looking at the tiny escape artists.

"We'th four," Beau answered.

"When you two turn 21, come and ask for a job here in Cascade. We can use a couple of smart fellas like you." Craig suggested.

"I'th thorry, but Unca Chrith thayth iffen we ain't in prithon, the ATF hath firtht thot thinthe they trained uth," Beau apologized.

"Glad to have met you two" Matthews laughed as he walked off, shaking is head in dismay.

Simon's glare encompassed the twins, Jim, the limping Blair, a group of laughing uniforms, and maintenance people.

"Go home, and take those trouble magnets with you," Simon told Jim, waving at Blair and the twins. "Just take them home, PLEASE," Simon growled.

"Yer comin' ta thupper ain't ya Unca Thimon?" Beau asked as he tugged, on Simon's pants leg.

"Yeah, I need to discuss some things with all of you," Simon agreed, unable to say no to the sincere request.

"Jim," Rafe fiddled with his jacket button. "Daycare won't let the boys come back," he whispered.

"All right," Beau and Dev exchanged high fives.

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The Loft, Monday evening

The door opened as Simon raised his hand to knock. Shaking his head, he laughed to himself. _One of these days I'll get to knock. _Dev stood in the doorway looking up at the laughing man.

"Hi, Dev," Simon said. _I'm going to have trouble identifying them when Dev's black eye fades away. _He paused in surprise, as the standoffish twin lifted his arms to be picked up. Simon swung the boy up in his arms. Dev grinned, wrapping his arms around Simon's neck. Banks was taken completely by surprise at the soft kiss Dev planted on his cheek. Dev laid his head down on Simon's shoulder. _He's purring. _

"Jim?" Simon asked softly.

"He decided you're safe and he likes you, Simon."

Blair chuckled at the strange look on Simon's face.

Beau was sitting on Blair's lap, watching cartoons.

Jim was stirring pots on the stove.

"Fantasia?" Simon asked as he settled into a chair, still cuddling Dev.

"Yeah, this is quite possibly the first music video." Blair indicated the animated screen.

"What brought this on?" Simon indicated the child in his lap.

"It seems that Uncle Simon did his watcher thing, today," Blair looked at Simon with a speculative look in his eye.

"I only talked to them. What do you mean . . . Watcher?" a frown of confusion marred Simon's face

"It seems I missed something in my sentinel studies," Blair explained. "It's more than a sentinel/guide bond. Before a sentinel comes fully on line, it takes the sentinel, the guide, and a watcher," Blair smiled calmly at the off balance watcher. "Warrior, shaman, chieftain," Blair prodded. "I'm going to have to do some research."

Jim took in the contented family scene in front of him as he reviewed what the boys had told him of today's contretemps. _According to Beau, Rosemary, took a truck that Dev was playing with and gave it to another child. When Beau protested, she grabbed him hard enough to bruise. Dev got between them, so she put both boys into time out. There's no debating the bruise. The blue-tinged fingertip-shaped marks show up clearly in the pictures. Not to mention that, if boys' calculations are correct, they had been locked in that room for over an hour, unsupervised! There are cameras in the daycare, so we need to get the film to verify their story. I'll see if Simon can get someone to do a little investigating, but now is not the time. I'll talk to Simon later after the boys are asleep, no need to upset them again._


End file.
